Subscribe to our Construction Newsfeed
Uk Construction Directory
Search our 156,810 companies....

Construction News

17/12/2024

Balfour Beatty VINCI Completes First Stage Of HS2 Bridge Over M2 Motorway

Construction News Image
Balfour Beatty VINCI has completed the initial phase of work on a bridge that will carry the HS2 high-speed railway over the M42 motorway near Birmingham.

The milestone was achieved after two weekend motorway closures, during which engineers worked around the clock to remove existing concrete foundations, install underground ducting, and prepare a safe working area in the motorway’s central reservation.

Once completed, the M42 bridge structure will stretch 300 meters in length, enabling HS2 to cross over a 130-meter section of the motorway between junctions 6 and 7/7a, close to Birmingham Business Park and the NEC.
-- Advertisement --
hss



The construction will use a modular method to minimise disruption. This approach involves assembling 1,500 giant hollow blocks, each weighing approximately 14 tonnes, which will be stacked and filled with concrete to form the bridge's walls. These walls will be spanned by 295 beams, topped by a bridge deck and parapets. The structure is scheduled for completion in early 2027.

The modular design allows much of the bridge to be fabricated off-site, reducing the need for extended motorway closures. During construction, three lanes of traffic will remain open on the M42, with a 50mph speed limit in place to ensure safety.

In collaboration with National Highways, Balfour Beatty VINCI will execute the build while maintaining traffic flow. A workforce of 150 will support the project at its peak, ensuring efficient delivery of this key component of the HS2 infrastructure.

The bridge represents a significant step in integrating HS2 into the UK's transport network, while efforts to minimise disruption demonstrate the project’s commitment to balancing progress with public convenience.

Latest Construction News

17/01/2025
Leeds Trinity University has officially opened its newly refurbished City Campus at 1 Trevelyan Square in Leeds. Completed by GRAHAM Interior Fit-Out, the transformation of the central Leeds site introduces state-of-the-art facilities designed to improve learning and collaborate with industry partn
17/01/2025
Trammell Crow Company (TCC) has secured planning permission for a Grade A logistics scheme in Heywood, Greater Manchester, following a successful planning appeal. The development will feature two state-of-the-art industrial and logistics buildings. One building will house two units measuring 4,796
17/01/2025
Poole-based developer AJC Group has celebrated a record-breaking 2024, delivering 100 affordable homes, a significant increase from the 72 units completed in the previous year. Since 2023, AJC Group has completed and handed over 172 affordable homes across five sites. In 2024 alone, the developer
17/01/2025
Plans for one of the most ambitious parks projects in London have taken a significant step forward, with Haringey Council securing nearly two additional acres of land around The Paddock nature reserve in Tottenham Hale. The agreement with Thames Water marks a major milestone in the transformation o
17/01/2025
Islington Council has unveiled two draft guidance documents aimed at helping residents, businesses, and developers combat climate change by making buildings more energy efficient and fostering a greener, healthier borough. The consultation seeks feedback on the draft Climate Action Supplementary Pl
17/01/2025
The City of Wolverhampton Council has unveiled a £98 million investment plan over the next five years to develop around 500 new homes across the city. The proposal, part of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan, received Cabinet approval this week and now moves to Full Council for final
17/01/2025
Croydon Council has announced a significant milestone in the redevelopment of the Purley Pool site, with revised proposals submitted for a new leisure centre, later living housing, and the regeneration of the surrounding area. A planning application for the site was initially submitted in 2024, pro
17/01/2025
The City of Wolverhampton Council has announced that demolition work has commenced on the New Park Village estate, marking the start of a major £40 million redevelopment project to transform outdated council housing. Contractor DSM Demolition has begun pulling down poor-quality bungalows on Valley
17/01/2025
Hillingdon Council has acquired 12 new homes at Carpenters Court in Uxbridge. Leader of Hillingdon Council, Cllr Ian Edwards and Cllr Steve Tuckwell, Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Growth, visited the site to officially mark the handover of the properties from local developer Kearns Devel
17/01/2025
Organisers of UK Construction Week (UKCW) have announced another major coup for the show's 10th anniversary year, with the news that UKCW London will be co-locating with the 14th edition of The Stone Show & Hard Surfaces, the principal industry event for surface design. Established 26 years ago, th
Efco UK LtdAqua Direct LtdThink Construction Skills Ltd.Lakeside HireBRICOFLOR UKStuart CanvasT & D Glazing And Installation LimitedWestone Scaffolding ltd.J & U Services LtdNationwide Boiler Hire